Why do people go to therapy? This is a question that I hear rather frequently, albeit in various forms. People go to therapy for many different reasons. The numerous of reasons are beyond the scope of this post. However, I will briefly discuss two common reasons that I haven’t covered in previous posts: stress and […]
Understandably, there has been a lot of concern about the recent teen suicides in the Palo Alto community. First and foremost, my condolences go out to the teens, their families, their friends, and the community. Also, I want to emphasize that I am not a suicidologist. However, I am a therapist and I have provided […]
If you are a client of mine, then you know that I am in the process of moving my counseling office. In April, I am moving from Menlo Park to Palo Alto. I am not moving far, and I am excited about the move. However, I am also feeling a tad anxious about the move. Why? […]
Another year has passed; today is the first day of 2015
New Year’s Day is an interesting holiday. It commemorates the end of one year, and the beginning of another year. It is a junction of the past and the future.
This New Year’s Day, you may be reminiscing about what a wonderful year you had in […]
Do You Love Reading Fiction? You May Be Building Empathy Skills.
Whenever I meet with a new client, I always ask what he or she enjoys doing in his or her free time. Of course I’m curious about struggles, challenges, or whatever brought them to counseling in the first place. However, I also like to know […]
I recently received an email from Ms. Gabriela McCall Delgado, a woman, who has created a website, We Connect Now, which was designed to unite students with disabilities to access higher education. I had never heard of this organization, but I went to the website and browsed it. I have to say, there are some very […]
What is Trauma? Trauma includes, but is not limited to, physical and/or sexual abuse, violence in the community or school, domestic violence, neglect, medical trauma (can involve the child or child’s family member experiencing injury, illness, pain and suffering, or intense medical treatment), war, natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and childhood traumatic grief (occurs when someone close […]
Coloring is relaxing activity for both children and adults, and can be used as a relaxation technique to decrease stress and anxiety. Anyone who draws, paints, does pottery, scrap-booking, or knits will tell you that it is a therapeutic activity- it’s not just about producing a product. We often think of coloring as a child’s […]
In my last couple blog entries I’ve discussed stress, change, and anxiety. We are all familiar with anxiety in some form or another because we’ve all experienced it. For some people it may be situational and mild: for example, sweaty palms and a rapid heart beat when he have to take a test, or give […]
Anxiety is one of the most common issues I treat when counseling children and teens. It is not uncommon for anxiety to co-occur with other issues, but anxiety in itself affects the daily lives of the children and teens who experience it, and can range from mild to debilitating. I am a member of the ADAA, Anxiety and Depression Association of America, and […]